Among image processing apparatuses such as a scanner (an image reading apparatus), a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a combination machine (a multifunction device) having these various functions, an apparatus is widely known which has an original transporting device called an auto document feeder (ADF) for picking out one sheet at a time of a plurality of originals set on a paper feed tray (an original placing portion), feeding the original into a transport path, and automatically transporting the original onto a paper discharge tray via a reading position. Among such original transporting devices, one disclosed in JP-A-2001-312106 is provided with a so-called switchback transporting mechanism for inverting obverse and reverse surfaces of the original with respect to the reading position when, for example, a double-sided original is read.
Incidentally, the above-described original transporting device is in many cases installed below a user's line of sight. For this reason, in the original transporting device in which the paper discharge tray is disposed on the lower side of the paper feed tray, the original discharged onto the paper discharge tray is concealed by the paper feed tray. The user's attention tends to be directed toward a reproduced material on which image data which has been read or a copy image has been formed, rather than toward the discharged original. Hence, situations have conventionally occurred in which the user forgets the presence of the original and forgets to take out the original on the paper discharge tray.
As techniques for preventing the above-described forgetting to take out the original, various techniques have been proposed. For example, JP-A-8-87141 discloses a technique whereby an original receiver on which the discharged originals are placed is provided with an original discharge sensor, and after the lapse of a predetermined time upon detection by the discharge sensor of the original discharged onto the original receiver, a speaker provided on an apparatus body issues a sound. In addition, JP-A-2001-312106 discloses a technique whereby when a predetermined time has similarly elapsed, a message is given on a display panel to the effect that the original has not yet been taken out. Thus, attempts have been made to prevent forgetting to take out the original by arousing attention aurally in the former technique and visually in the latter technique.
In addition, JP-A-2002-62693 discloses an auto document feeder which is provided with a mechanism for moving the paper discharge tray disposed on the lower side of the paper feed tray to the rear end side of the paper discharge tray. Furthermore, JP-A-2005-15122 discloses an automatic original transporting device which is provided with a mechanism for raising the paper feed tray upward after completion of the original reading operation. These devices facilitate the prevention of forgetting to take out the original.